Walker S McKinney, Meredith Nelson, Rebecca C Shaffer, Kelli C Dominick, Craig A Erickson, Lauren M Schmitt
{"title":"Brief Report: Differences Between Stanford-Binet Abbreviated and Full-Scale Estimates of IQ in Fragile X Syndrome Vary Across Development.","authors":"Walker S McKinney, Meredith Nelson, Rebecca C Shaffer, Kelli C Dominick, Craig A Erickson, Lauren M Schmitt","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07062-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07062-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and single-gene cause of autism. The Stanford-Binet, Fifth Edition (SB-5) is commonly used to assess IQ in FXS. It is not known if the SB-5 routing form's abbreviated IQ (ABIQ) score accurately estimates full-scale IQ (FSIQ), limiting data-informed decision-making when choosing between an abbreviated or full SB-5 battery.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>198 participants with FXS (143 males) aged 4 to 47 years of age completed the full SB-5. We calculated differences between abbreviated and full-scale estimates of IQ and assessed the extent to which the agreement between ABIQ and FSIQ varied as a function of age, routing subtest scatter, and FSIQ.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The abbreviated SB-5 battery over-estimated FSIQ in most school-age children (< 11 years), and under-estimated FSIQ in adolescents and adults. This under-estimate of FSIQ was larger when there was a greater discrepancy (scatter) between the two routing subtests that comprise ABIQ and in individuals with FSIQ < 68.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Clinicians and researchers should consider administering the full SB-5 battery to individuals with FXS when possible. If only an abbreviated estimate of IQ is available, ABIQ should be interpreted with caution based on our findings of over- or under-estimation occurring across development. Large discrepancies between verbal and nonverbal skills as well as greater severity of ID should both serve as cues to administer the full battery to avoid under-estimating cognitive skills that are otherwise only captured by FSIQ.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145345360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Walter E Kaufmann, Paul S Horn, Dejan B Budimirovic, Holly K Harris, Reymundo Lozano
{"title":"Relationship Between Intellectual Disability and Behavioral Comorbidity in Children With Fragile X Syndrome.","authors":"Walter E Kaufmann, Paul S Horn, Dejan B Budimirovic, Holly K Harris, Reymundo Lozano","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07088-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07088-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Fragile X syndrome (FXS) presents with variable cognitive and neurobehavioral abnormalities. We recently reported clinically relevant behavioral subtypes in children with FXS based on a latent class analysis (LCA), which suggested an association between level of intellectual disability (ID) and frequency of co-occurring behavioral conditions. The present study further investigated ID-behavioral comorbidity associations in the same subject sample.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed the large (1,072 males, 338 females) pediatric FORWARD clinic-based natural history study database, using multiple statistical techniques including chi-square analyses, polyserial correlations, regression analyses, and LCA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We demonstrated that frequency of irritability/agitation, aggression, and self-injury (IAAS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), hypersensitivity and, to lesser extent, perseverative behavior (OCD-like) are a function of ID level across the range of FXS clinical severity. With exception of IAAS, these associations were further supported by correlations between ID levels and scales shown to represent the aforementioned behavioral comorbidities.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The ID-behavioral comorbidity associations reported here could help in the identification and management of problematic behaviors in individuals with FXS and other ID-associated disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145345413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Attention-Dependent but not Pre-attentive Neural Markers of Auditory Change Process are Atypical in Adults With Autism Spectrum Conditions.","authors":"Peipei Liu","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07096-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07096-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Efficiently processing auditory changes in dynamic environments is essential for adaptive functioning. Although individuals with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) often exhibit atypical sensory profiles, the neural mechanisms underlying auditory change processing remain inconclusive. This study investigated neural dynamics in ASC at two distinct stages: the pre-attentive stage and the attention-dependent stage.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using the local-global paradigm with non-speech complex sounds, we examined hierarchical auditory change processing in 20 autistic and 21 non-autistic adults. This paradigm enables the dissociation of pre-attentive and attention-dependent stages by manipulating local (short-timescale) and global (long-timescale) auditory regularities. Local-level changes elicited the MMN, reflecting pre-attentive processing, whereas global-level changes elicited the P3b, indexing attention-dependent contextual updating. In addition to event-related potentials (ERPs), we examined time-frequency representations (TFRs) to assess theta- and delta-band oscillations linked to memory and attentional processes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At the local level, ASC individuals showed comparable MMN amplitudes and frontocentral theta oscillations compared to non-autistic individuals, suggesting preserved pre-attentive mechanisms. At the global level, they exhibited reduced P3b amplitude and decreased delta activity, indicating altered attention-dependent processing.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings reveal a stage-specific dissociation in auditory change processing in autism, with selective alterations in attention-dependent neural responses requiring sustained attention and contextual updating. Beyond their theoretical significance, these alterations may serve as candidate neurophysiological markers of attention-related atypicalities in ASC, with potential applications in educational practices and cognitive assessments in attentionally demanding contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145345394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Affiliate Stigma, Perceived Social Support and Parenting Stress Among Parents of Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.","authors":"Xiaodan Zhang, Yongbei Xiao, Lifang Cao, Jiao Xie, Zheyi Jiang, Yamin Li","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07084-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07084-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience heightened levels of parenting stress. Although previous studies have established associations between affiliate stigma, perceived social support, and parenting stress, the potential mediating role of perceived social support in this relationship remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the relationships among affiliate stigma, perceived social support, and parenting stress, and to explore whether perceived social support mediates the relationship between affiliate stigma and parenting stress in parents of children and adolescents with ADHD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional design was used. A total of 376 parents completed the 22-item Affiliate Stigma Scale (ASS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI-SF). Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping procedures using IBM SPSS Amos 26.0 were conducted to test the hypothesized mediation model.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Affiliate stigma was negatively correlated with perceived social support (r = -0.288, p < 0.01) and was positively correlated with parenting stress (r = 0.464, p < 0.01). Additionally, perceived social support was negatively correlated with parenting stress (r = -0.457; p < 0.01). Perceived social support mediated the relationship between affiliate stigma and parenting stress (β = 0.156, B = 0.209, SE = 0.029, 95% bias-corrected bootstrap CI: 0.104 to 0.219).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Perceived social support may serve as a protective factor that buffers the negative impact of affiliate stigma on parenting stress. Interventions aimed at reducing stigma and enhancing multi-dimensional social support are recommended for parents of children with ADHD.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145345357","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Molly Kernahan, Nathan Weber, Alliyza Lim, Robyn L Young
{"title":"The Understanding of Wrongfulness by Autistic Individuals in the Criminal Justice System.","authors":"Molly Kernahan, Nathan Weber, Alliyza Lim, Robyn L Young","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07077-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07077-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>This study investigated the impact autism and difficulties with theory of mind (ToM) have on one's ability to reason about the wrongfulness of criminal behaviour, and whether this relationship was affected when explicit information was given about the intentionality behind, and harmful outcome of a behaviour. It was hypothesised that when intent and harm information were absent, ToM would mediate the autism and reasoning ability relationship.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>The ToM and reasoning ability of 57 non-autistic and 55 autistic adult participants was assessed. To test reasoning ability, participants read criminal scenarios with intent and harm information absent or present and reasoned why the behaviour was or was not 'wrong'. Their responses were then scored based on the level of information they provided about intent and harm in their reasoning.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, autistic participants scored lower on the reasoning task than non-autistic participants. When intent and harm information were absent, evidence for the group difference remained, albeit weaker, and ToM did not mediate this relationship. The gap in reasoning ability between groups was smaller when harm information was included, compared to when it was absent.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The lower reasoning ability of autistic compared to non-autistic participants suggests that autistic individuals may not consider the intentionality or potential harmfulness when engaging in illegal activity or confronted with wrongful situations. However, if informed about the intent and potential harm, the difficulties in reasoning experienced by autistic people are reduced, suggesting that anticipating the potential outcome of behaviour may not be intuitive for some.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145345363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Melissa Radey, Kristy A Anderson, Shannon Crowley LaPoint, Emily Dolce, Michael O Killian
{"title":"Young Adulthood Milestones and Supports Within the Context of Autism.","authors":"Melissa Radey, Kristy A Anderson, Shannon Crowley LaPoint, Emily Dolce, Michael O Killian","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07091-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07091-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The transition from childhood to adulthood is a critical developmental period in which individuals encounter profound social, institutional, and personal shifts. A diagnosis of autism can introduce unique challenges during the transition. The study described the living conditions and adult milestones of transition-age autistic young adults and compared them to their peers without autism.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The analysis used Year 22 data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) dataset, a national, longitudinal cohort study of children born in U.S. cities in 1998-2000.</p><p><strong>Findings: </strong>At age 22, autistic young adults were significantly more likely to report poor physical and mental health, life dissatisfaction, additional disabilities, and public assistance use compared to their non-autistic peers. Across a range of adulthood markers, including romantic relationships, independent living, full-time employment, and financial self-sufficiency, autistic young adults were less likely to achieve traditional adult milestones.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The transition to adulthood remains a period of heightened vulnerability for autistic youth. Addressing these disparities will require not only improved transition planning at the individual level but also structural investments that expand access to housing, healthcare, income supports, and meaningful community inclusion.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145313013","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Suzan Amana Rattan, Moamin Hamza Abd Zaid, Noor Jamal Suhail, Daniah Ibrahim Jameel, Daniah Amer Abdulrahman
{"title":"Refractive Errors and Vision Problems in Autistic Children: Insights into Parental Awareness in Iraq.","authors":"Suzan Amana Rattan, Moamin Hamza Abd Zaid, Noor Jamal Suhail, Daniah Ibrahim Jameel, Daniah Amer Abdulrahman","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07099-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07099-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>To evaluate parental awareness of vision problems in children with ASD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This descriptive study included parents/caregivers of ASD children attending autism diagnosis and rehabilitation centers in Baghdad between October 2023 and April 2024. Eligible participants lived with and provided daily care for the child. Data was collected through structured interviews covering three domains: (A) demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, (B) observed visual problems in children, and (C) knowledge of visual impairment and its impact.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 123 parents and caregivers participated, 65% of whom were recruited from three major centers: the National Center for Autism, Al Safa Institute, and Baghdad Governmental Center for Autism. Biological parents comprised 97.6% of the sample; 2.4% were kinship caregivers. Parents/caregivers reported that 49.6% of children had been diagnosed with visual impairments, while 20 out of 62 (16.3%) of undiagnosed children exhibited behavioral signs of vision issues, including close screen proximity. Refractive errors (43.9%) and ocular misalignments (26.8%) were most common, with myopia (33.3%) being the leading diagnosis. Awareness scores indicated that 35 (28.5%) had poor awareness, 65(52.8%) moderate, and 23 (18.7%) good. Caregivers had significantly higher awareness than biological parents (P = 0.006), while employed respondents showed lower awareness levels (P = 0.015).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Children with ASD are prone to undiagnosed visual impairments; however, a considerable proportion of parents were completely unaware of this issue. Enhancing parental awareness and integrating interdisciplinary vision screening into publicly funded ASD services are vital for early detection, prevention, and long-term management.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145313011","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sarah K Crockford, Jenny L Gibson, Napoleon Katsos
{"title":"Surveying the Language Switching Behaviours of Multilingual Autistic and Non-Autistic Adults.","authors":"Sarah K Crockford, Jenny L Gibson, Napoleon Katsos","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07078-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07078-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Whilst research in multilingualism and autism is increasing, there is still a gap when it comes to understanding how multilingual autistic individuals use their multiple languages. The aim of this research was to survey these linguistic behaviours from a self-report perspective and compare them to non-autistic multilingual individuals.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We collected data from 364 participants of which 177 (autistic = 98; mean age = 44.5, non-autistic = 79; mean age = 42.2) were included in the final analysis. Multilingual usage and switching behaviour were measured through an online questionnaire made available on Qualtrics, developed for the purpose of this research.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The questionnaire revealed that autistic participants rated themselves as more multilingual, based on number of languages known, and used their respective languages more than non-autistic participants, although they reported switching between their languages as more effortful than non-autistic participants. A large portion of autistic individuals also reported using a non-native language daily and a similar number of autistic and non-autistic participants reported having lived in a country where their first or second language was spoken. Overall, autistic participants reported comparable or more multilingual language usage than non-autistic participants.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results of this research demonstrate that speaking autistic adults are, as one might intuitively expect, living active multilingual lives comparable to their typical peers. Future research should further investigate the rapport autistic multilingual individuals have with their linguistic communities via their language usage and the cognitive flexibility that may be associated with living multilingual and cross-national lives.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145313012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shixi Zhao, Ming Li, Wei-Ju Chen, Brandon J Rennie, Yu-Yu Hsiao, Yue Guan, Mia Del Rosario
{"title":"Genetic Counseling Utilization and Experience Among Caregivers of Children With ASD in the United States.","authors":"Shixi Zhao, Ming Li, Wei-Ju Chen, Brandon J Rennie, Yu-Yu Hsiao, Yue Guan, Mia Del Rosario","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07038-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07038-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>The present study examined caregivers' utilization of and experience with genetic counseling services for their children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We surveyed 1063 caregivers from the Simons Foundation Powering Autism Research for Knowledge (SPARK). A logistic regression analysis was conducted in SPSS 29.0 to examine the factors associated with caregivers' utilization of genetic counseling for ASD. Caregivers' self-reported experience with the counseling services they received were analyzed using NVivo 14.0.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Only 7.4% of the caregivers reported having received the genetic counseling services from genetic counselors, and most of the caregivers had limited awareness of genetic counseling services and knowledge of genetic testing. Caregivers' utilization of genetic counseling services was associated with several factors, including whether they had pursued genetic testing, the caregivers' awareness of genetic counseling services, their knowledge of genetic testing, and the presence of co-occurring intellectual disabilities.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings underscore the critical role of improving awareness and access to genetic counseling services for families of children with ASD. Additionally, there is a critical need to support caregivers with clear, accessible information about genetic services for ASD. Healthcare providers - particularly pediatricians, developmental specialists, and genetic professionals are encouraged to take a more proactive role in initiating conversations with families about genetic counseling and testing, helping families make informed decisions. Enhancing communication and support around genetic services can better prepare caregivers to navigate the complexities of genetic testing.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145308083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hillary Schiltz, Derica Su, Juliette Lerner, Carla Mazefsky, Catherine Lord
{"title":"Development of a Conceptual Model of Loneliness in Verbal Autistic Adults Using Qualitative Content Analyses.","authors":"Hillary Schiltz, Derica Su, Juliette Lerner, Carla Mazefsky, Catherine Lord","doi":"10.1007/s10803-025-07005-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-025-07005-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose: </strong>Loneliness has serious consequences for physical and mental health. Therefore, the high vulnerability of autistic adults to loneliness is concerning (Hymas et al., in: Rev J Autism Dev Disord., 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40489-022-00330-w ). However, foundational questions regarding the operationalization and importance of loneliness to the autistic community remain largely unanswered, and thus were the aims of the current study.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Procedures followed initial steps of the PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) guidelines. A preliminary conceptual model of loneliness was developed based on literature in the general population and presented to focus groups and individual interviews involving 13 autistic adults and 5 autism professionals. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants indicated that research on loneliness in autistic adults was worthwhile because of the commonality, significant negative impact, need to challenge misconceptions, and identify prevention/intervention strategies. Revisions to an initially proposed conceptual model of loneliness in autism included clarifications (e.g., satisfaction with vs. presence of relationships), modifications (e.g., frequency vs. availability of contact), and additions (e.g., social exhaustion, feelings of difference, and animals).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our proposed conceptual model of loneliness in autism identifies key nuances and concepts overlooked by models and measures of loneliness developed for non-autistic populations. These findings underscore the need to improve methods for assessing loneliness among autistic adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":15148,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145292208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}